


Cause Nobody Knows You Now (When You're Dying in LA)

by writethisway



Series: Love Me Forever, Today? [2]
Category: Agent Carter (TV)
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Angst with a Happy Ending, Burns, Cheating but not?, F/M, Five Stages of Grief, Grief/Mourning, Hospital, I’ll add more later, Nausea, Noncon kiss but it's the plumber and loretta, The author put So Much Research into this, Vomiting, aka. That cheating story line was shit and we all knew it., but not necessarily described, but only for two chapters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-02
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-08 18:00:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 19,224
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27350878
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writethisway/pseuds/writethisway
Summary: Al's been having the time of his life, before the news came, that his wife was dead. Now coping with it, he faces new challenges, but a considerably weird job offer seems to lurk at the back of his mind.Besides, who would work for a secret government division called the SSR?A sequel to In the City Where the Sun Don't Set
Relationships: Aloysius Samberly/Original Female Character(s), Jack Thompson/Violet (mention), Loretta Dooley/Roger Dooley, Original Male Character & Original Male Character, Peggy Carter/Daniel Sousa, at the end but it's there
Series: Love Me Forever, Today? [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1871389
Kudos: 3





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is a sequel, so if you don't want to be confused, please go read "In the City Where the Sun Don't Set" first. It's 62k words, but it's okay, you can do it. 
> 
> Evie is me and a-wonderingmind's Brainchild and without her Evie would not exist. I also am indebted to Jesse from my writing group for military knowledge. 
> 
> The posting schedule is going to be the first chapters of both on 11/02/2020, then alternating the stories after that. 
> 
> As always, on with the show!

_"I'll never smile again until I smile at you. I'll never laugh again, what good would it do?"_

_~ I'll Never Smile Again, Frank Sinatra and Tommy Dorsey Orchestra_

* * *

Numb, that’s all he can feel. He eventually gets himself in the chair and looks at him.

“What now?” he whispers, and Dooley sighs.

“Get yourself home, I’m already processing emergency leave paperwork. You leave tonight, you have 2 weeks emergency leave, with more leave if you need it.”

“But what about?”

“Get yourself home Aloysius,” he says sternly and hands him the letter and some paperwork. He salutes and leaves. Al finds it funny that he’s always been good at following orders.

He walks out shaking slightly and goes to pack a bag with clothing and his stuff, before looking at his bunk nervously and seeing the pictures of her placed in his footlocker. He bursts into tears, and shuts the footlocker closed before sinking to the floor, when the other Lieutenants find him, and get him on his bed and he feels someone take the letter out of his hands.

“Oh my god,” he can hear David say, and he can hear the entire bunk go silent, before he sniffles and looks up, to feel everyone on him, holding him close.

“I’m alright,” he says softly, and they nod before going back to work, leaving him with the letter and his bag. He finishes packing before trying to get back to work and help out a little. After dinner, he grabbed his bag, and hopped into the bus that would take him to Luxembourg train station, then would take him to Paris, and then home.

Luxembourg train station was pretty enough, he guessed, but he was too emotionally compromised for him to notice anything. He kept fiddling with his wedding ring, and sat on the train with his duffel bag and presented his papers to the man, who nodded, but thankfully didn’t say anything.

At Paris, he ended up going to an airfield, then on a plane, which would take him from Paris to England, then a plane from England to New York, and then New York to Chicago, Chicago to Los Angeles. Over all, lots of flying. He was going to call Miss Baker when he got to England, and as the plane lifted off, he could help but feel tears shift down and he starts crying a little. He didn’t mean to, but is this what Evie felt like when she- He let a few tears drop onto his papers. Luckily, no one noticed and he was able to get through the flight. He ended up in London Heathrow, and called the most familiar phone number he knew.

“Miss Baker speaking,” she says, and he almost burst into tears.

“It’s me, I got the telegram, I’m coming home on leave,” he says, and she bursts into tears and he almost does as well.

“Okay, do you know when?”

“Right now. I’m in London. They’re doing a flight from London to New York, then New York to Chicago, and then Chicago to Los Angeles, I think there’s a stop in Newfoundland in the flight from London to New York though, so…”

“That’s fine, just call me when you’re in Chicago and I’ll set off for Los Angeles Air base, is there anything you want when you get home that I can get for you now?”

“Sounds stupid but my blanket from my house? And can I stay with you for tonight?”

“God, of course. Charlie is here on pass for a few days and he’s here as well. I’ll let you two share a room. I’ve sent word to Nick, but I haven’t heard anything back from him or his division.”

“He’s fine, I got a letter from him a few days ago. Listen I got to go, alright?”

She nods, and they say their goodbyes before hanging up and he walks to the place and sits before looking out the window on the plane. He presents his papers and settles down before trying to sleep, but all he could dream about was Evie. 

Newfoundland was snowy and cold, and he was grateful when they flew the last few hours to New York. New York was big, but since he only had an hour layover, he rushed to his gate and waited. He got back onto another another plane and went to Chicago, quickly called Evie’s mom, and then went home.

Los Angeles Air Base was one of the most loved Air bases in the country. After providing his papers and getting checked out, he went out, and looked for Miss Baker…Who was just getting out of her car and running to hug him. He hugs her close and cries and she kisses his cheek.

“I’ve got food back home, or we can go out if you want?” she smiles.

He shakes his head. “I need a nap and to see Amelia, that’s all.”

She smiles and ushers him into the car. He smiles lightly, taking in the sights and sounds, before coming up to her house, hearing people argue from inside. He looks at her questioning and she shrugs, before they push the door open and find Charlie standing there arguing with Aunt Vi on how to cook pasta.

“Guys,” he says softly, “Don’t fight…”

They turn around and immediately engulf him into a hug and he breaks down sobbing. Charlie hugs him closer and he sobs before releasing. “Where’s Amelia?”

Miss Baker picks up Amelia and he smiles as Amelia starts licking his face. He smiles and holds her, before sitting down. “You guys didn’t have to…”

“No, we all lost someone this week, you two sit down and we’ll make pasta. Once we make Alfredo sauce,” Charlie smiles and Aunt Vi rolls her eyes.

He sits down and they all sigh and start plating before letting himself wonder around the room. The shadowbox, with David’s name on it. Evie would have one just like it. The couch where he healed from when he was injured from taking on bullies. He’d do it again in a heartbeat. And, well, her room. Which looked almost exactly the same from when he stayed over. He lets a few tears drip down until Miss Baker knocks and smiles.

“Dinner’s ready. You want to sleep in here tonight?”

He nods and comes out as Charlie and Aunt Vi say grace before they start to eat, and Al eats quietly.

“When’s the…”

“We were thinking Wednesday. I think she would’ve wanted it on that day.”

“Where is she?”

“I wanted to let you decide. I was going to say Angelus-Rosedale, but if you wanted her closer to Pasadena….”

He nods. “Can I just think about it?”

She nods and squeezes his hand and they eat quietly, before Al gets up and starts doing dishes, and Charlie stops him.

“I just want-“

“You just lost your wife, I’m not having you do anything. Go sit back down.”

“Charlie, you don’t.”

“Doctor’s orders,” he grins and Samberly chuckles.

“You love saying that don’t you?”

“Doctor’s orders,” he says seriously.

Al nods and sits back down, looking at Clara. “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry.”

“You couldn’t have stopped her, and she wouldn’t have liked to be stopped.”

He nods and sighs, looking at his glass. “Any alcohol?”

Clara nods and sets a bottle of brandy down, and he smiles slightly before pouring himself a glass and knocking it back. Clara looks at him and sighs, and he shrugs. Charlie says goodnight to Aunt Vi who drives home, and he looks at Al. “I’m going to stay here for tonight, if that’s alright.”

“Thank you Charlie,” Clara smiles lightly.

He nods and gets himself set up on the couch, while Samberly took a shower, a honest to goodness shower with hot water, and getting himself into pajamas before sitting in Evie’s room and sniffling, before having Clara come in with his blanket and putting it around him. He couldn’t breathe for a second, and he started to cry, shaking.

Clara started to cry as well, and he hugs her, shaking. “I don’t want her gone…”

She kisses his head. “Get some rest, it’s been a long day…”

He nods and lays down, and she tucks him into bed. “Goodnight Al,” she says before flicking the lights off.

“Goodnight Miss Clara,” he says before curling up in bed and sighing, looking at her room before letting all the emotions release and sobbing himself to sleep.

The next day he woke up really early, and well, he ended up getting dressed in Army clothes. Charlie was also up, and they ended up getting breakfast together.

Clara came in a bit later. “I’m guessing you two already had breakfast?”

He nods, “Yeah, we did.”

Clara nods. “If you want, I can take you to your house Charlie, and Al you can go to your house and grab some clothes that aren’t…”

“Army issue? No, that sounds good, I might just be a while.”

She nods and sips her coffee. “I understand.”

They drop off Charlie before getting to his house, up in Pasadena, and he opens it to silence. Not to the record player, or to the percolator going, but to silence. First up, clothes. He heads to the closet and gets out a few different clothes for himself, before looking and taking her perfume as well. She didn’t wear it often but she always smelled good when she did. He comes out with a box and Clara nods.

“Ready to go?” She says softly.

He nods silently before putting the box in the back. They went to Cole’s for lunch, how could they not. Al looks around and he can see Evie getting a drink before going to a table and her laughter, and his throat tightens. He squeezes his hands into fists and Clara looks at him before asking it to go. He sighs out once they get out of there, and go back home. They eat their sandwiches in silence, before looking quietly at her.

He looks at his hands before looking at her, and she sighs, before hearing the doorbell ring. Clara gets it and takes the telegram, before sitting down.

“Your turn,” she says shakily.

He nods and opens it scared, before reading it over and over. “To, well… you. Found Second Officer Samberly’s plane. No sign of her body. Unfortunately, we must put her down as missing in action, presumed dead,” he chokes up before sobbing.

Clara hugs him close before kissing his head, and him breaking down, leaving the telegram on the table and putting his head down in his hands, and trying not to throw up or actually break down.

“She’s coming back, she has to be…”

“Al…”

“No, she’s coming back, it’s not like Evie to just… die. She’s coming back.”

She kisses his head, and he nods.

“She’s coming back, she’s coming back.”

Clara nods and cleans up, and he sighs. “She has to come back sometime,” he smiles.

Clara nods, and they spend the rest of the afternoon together. When dinner comes around, they sat down and had some food.

“Funeral’s tomorrow, are you alright showing up in your Army uniform?” She says quitly.

He nods. “Yes, that’s fine. I’m guessing it’s a small funeral because, well…”

She nods.“You, me, Charlie, Aunt Vi and that’s it. I asked Nick’s company to send him over, but…”

“Not looking good?”

“Nope. And Evie’s friends are either in WASP, or in essential industries, so even then…”

“It’s just us. And the funeral’s going to happen here?”

She nods. “Made enough sense, I didn’t know where you wanted her headstone to be, so I decided to let you, well… decide.”

He nods quietly before speaking. “Can I think about it? I know you want Angelus-Rosedale, but I want to see if I can find something in the middle…”

“Of course,” she nods. They prep the house for the funeral, and Clara makes dinner for him. They eat in silence, and he sighs before going to bed. Laying down looking at the ceiling, he sighs, before letting pictures of Evie swirl in his mind, and having tears drip down slowly. Amelia licked them up as fast as she could, and he scratches her ears before having her sit on his chest. He laughs softly, before carefully lifting her off and putting her on the pillow beside him, and falling asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

_“_ _Day is done, gone the sun,_ _from the lake, from the hill, from the sky._ _All is well, Safely rest,_ _God is nigh.”_

 _~ Taps, Daniel Butterfield_

* * *

Al wakes up the next morning, feeling really shitty after what had happened. He didn’t really sleep last night, with his mind being plagued by Evie. This wasn’t what he was thinking of for when he came home, but otherwise, it was fine. It would be fine. He quickly takes a shower before getting on his uniform pants and an undershirt, settling himself before walking out. It was fine. It would be fine. He was going to cry, and that was okay.

He settled down in the kitchen and didn’t dare touch the radio while he made breakfast, and makes cereal, and sits down, stirring it, and eating it. He just went through the motions really. He did start up the percolator when Evie’s mom came down, her hair still in pin curls. He gasps softly, and she smiles sadly at him.

“Evie told me that if she… I had to do my hair in pin curls for the funeral.”

He smiles and nods. “She would be proud of you.”

“Let’s see if I can brush them out right, but yes, then she would be proud of me.”

He nods and pours the coffee. “Black coffee?”

“I take mine with cream, but yes.”

He nods, before pouring her a cup, and handing it to her. “Today’s a hard day.”

“Did you figure out where?”

“I think just Angelus-Rosedale. It’s the simplest one, close to where you live. I think she said she wanted to be buried there anyways.”

“Alright, if we get a body, then that’s where we’ll put her.”

He nods and drinks his coffee, before going to get ready. They still needed to set out chairs for this afternoon. He brushes his hair and his teeth, before looking at himself in the mirror, and trying not to break down crying. He was upset, of course, but he still needed to help. He heard a knock at the door, and he sighs slightly, before going to opening it and seeing Charlie in his dress blues, his black hair styled neatly. He bursts into tears on sight, and Charlie comes in and hugs him, and he sobs hugging him. He could hear Clara come out and run her hand through his hair, but he couldn’t uncoil himself from Charlie.

“Sorry, sorry, I just… it feels real now,” he says quietly.

They nod and Al uncoils himself from Charlie and looks at him before nodding.

She kisses his head before they get set up, and he nods before looking at all of them. “This it?”

Charlie looks uncomfortable, before nodding. “Aunt Vi says hi, she just is feeling under the weather, so she wasn’t going to come and get you sick.”

He nods. “No, that makes sense.”

Miss Baker nods and smiles. “Charlie, do you want to help me set up stuff out back? I think there’s a few more people coming.” 

He looks at her weirdly before nodding, and Al sighs before looking at his wedding ring and looking up towards the ceiling. “Happy anniversary my love.”

He sits there silently, as they got set up, and he goes out to help them before sitting down. There was a little table with a few candles and different pictures of her, from baby pictures to their wedding to others.

“Alright, here it is, Clara, do you want to go first?” Charlie says, and Al fiddles with his wedding ring. 

She nods, standing up. “I think my favorite memory of her is when she first told me about her first day senior year. She wasn’t necessarily one for school, but she did get good grades and was a hard worker. However, she talked about this one guy who was in her English class, and who had accidentally called her a dewdropper.”

Al’s breath hitches and tears well up as she starts speaking. “After that, it was Al this, and Al that, and well… we all know how that turned out.”

He nods and sighs, wiping his tears away as she starts again. “Evie, wherever you are, I’m sure you’re looking at us and smiling.”

He nods as she finishes and sits down, and Charlie goes up. “My favorite memory of Evie, was probably when I saw her in her wedding gown for the first time. It was once we got into the church, and she had her gown on, and I was to drop off something for her, and well talk to her as well, keep her occupied while you were busy getting the letter. She was so happy, and so excited, she seemed invincible."

Al tries not to cry, and Clara wraps his arms around his shoulders and kisses his head. Al sniffles and wipes his tears away as Charlie finishes up.

“Can I do mine alone?” he whispers and they nod, before standing up and going inside shutting the door. He looks up before sighing.

“Hi Evie, it’s me. I miss you. A lot. I have some things I’d like to say though,” he nods softly, fiddling with his ring. “I love you, I’m in love with you, and I will still love you, I can never stop. I don’t know what powers that be decided that we were to meet when we did, but I’m happy that we did. I miss you, and I promise I’ll be better,” he starts sobbing, dropping to his knees. He heard the door open and a hand placed on his back, and he leans into it, before feeling Clara hold him close and kiss his head and stroke his hair.

“Oh Al,” she says softly.

He keeps sobbing, the pain in his heart getting to much for him. The doorbell rings and Charlie gets it, before hearing him say something before feeling a hand on his back. He looks up to see Aunt Vi, and he sighs. “I don’t want her gone, I can’t have her gone.”

They nod, and Clara kisses his head. “She’s not gone, she’ll be here with us. Just, not here, here if that makes sense.”

He nods, still sobbing, his heart breaking into two. This was it then. She was gone for good. After the ceremony, they had a bunch of food and an open house almost, where people would stop by and say their condolences and eat some food. He didn’t have enough energy to muster up more than a thank you to each person, but it was enough. No one could really blame him, he guessed.

The open house ends at 6 pm, after Frances from Evie’s flight school stops by with food for them and talks to them for a little while. He sits on the couch, sighing, eating some food and drinking a beer. He knows he probably shouldn’t, but he was on the verge of a breakdown, and well… who was he to blame for what happened? His love of his life was gone. Gone, into the ground, and he didn’t have a body to bury. He knew that this wouldn’t have happened if she had just decided to stay here instead, he just knew it. She could’ve been ferrying airplanes over here, and it wouldn’t have been a problem. He sniffles before having tears drip down, and quickly wiping them away. Clara sits down next to him and rubs his back.

He sighs out before nodding. “Do you have any more beer?”

She nods. “This is the one and only time I will allow you to raid my alcohol stash.”

He nods. “Okay.”

She nods and brings him another beer. “I’m going to go to bed. The dishes are all done already, I’m just exhausted.”

He nods. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Miss Clara.”

“See you tomorrow.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ouch... 
> 
> ATA members weren't considered military, which means that instead of being buried at Los Angeles National... I have her buried at Angelus-Rosedale. 
> 
> Comments and kudos make my day!


	3. Chapter 3

_“_ _All the mission bells will ring, the chapel choir will sing_ _._ _The happiness you'll bring_ _w_ _ill live in my memory_ _._ _When the swallows come back to Capistrano_ _._ _That's the day I pray that you'll come back to me”_

_~ When the Swallows Come Back to Capistrano, The Ink Spots_

* * *

Al sighs, waking up the next morning. So it was official then. He was a widower. He gets up slowly, having cried and drank himself to sleep the night before. He promised that he wasn’t going to be like his father, but he could see that wasn’t going to happen. He was a widower now. And he lost the love of his life and didn’t know how to go on. Well, he did. One day at a time. Easy as that. Nothing more, nothing less. He makes breakfast, before sitting down and sighing, eating as Clara comes out and sits with him.

“I was thinking,” she starts, before looking at him. “Since your here, that we could go through Evie’s things at your house today?”

He sighs and nods. “Yeah, yeah, I could box up a few things.”

She nods. “Once you get dressed then, we’ll go after.”

He nods and gets dressed, just in some pants and a shirt, not letting himself break down. Now wasn’t the time. It would have to be tomorrow or the day after that. He wasn’t going to do any thing today that would harm him.

Clara ended up driving to them in silence, not even the radio turned on to their house. Evie always liked to color, and refused to get it painted, even if it was a bright yellow. He sighs, before getting out, and Clara turns the key and lets him in. It was exactly how he remembered it, with the kitchen off to the left and the bedroom and bathroom to the right, with the other room just off the kitchen and the living room beside it.

He sighs out. “I think we need to play something on the record player, just to umm. Honor her I guess.”

She nods and puts it on before picking a record and putting it on. He smiles a little, as the chords of Artie Shaw started up and he sighs out before looking at her.

“Ready?” She says softly.

He nods and he goes into the bedroom, before looking around, and dusting off some of the things in it. He got all the clothes out of her side of the closet, before making sure there were a few that were staying in just, well… his side now. Just some of her favorite things, her yellow shirt with a white outline around the collar, and some dresses from her high school days. He also keeps her wedding gown, not wanting to put it up just yet. He goes to the bathroom and clears some things out, before sitting on the bed, holding a box of things in his hands.

“I think that’s it,” he says quietly, before looking at the box.

“Are those the things you want to take with you?”

He nods, before looking in it. She takes his hand and sits with him and he starts to cry, putting the box aside and holding his head in his hands. He stays like that for a while, and he can hear the record player fade out as he sobs and eventually regains control.

“I’m sorry, I just… not right now,” he says softly and she nods.

“Of course, we can do this more tomorrow or another day. Back to our place?”

He nods and carries the box with him, going to the car and putting it in the back, before going to the front seat and sitting there quietly as she locks up and starts driving back, and he tries to not lose it in the car. Just a few more minutes and he would be at Clara’s house.

They get there, and he grabs his box before going in and going to the bedroom and putting it down on the floor. He kicks off his shoes before grabbing his string that he always had and starts making stuff with it. He was okay with not talking to anyone for a while, he just needed time to process it, that’s all.

Some time had passed, and Clara knocked softly, before opening the door, “Al? I made dinner if you want some. “

“I’m not hungry,” he says, fiddling with the string.

“I know, but you have to eat something, you’ve barely eaten anything all day,” she sits on the bed facing him.

“I know, I’m just not hungry,” he snaps before he sighs. “I’m sorry, it’s been a long day.”

She nods and kisses his head. “Food is in the fridge, I made soup.”

He nods softly, before sighing.

The rest of the week passed by, and he got a call from Major Dooley asking him if he was alright for staying there for another week and then coming back. They weren’t being called out, so it would just be to Luxembourg again, and he nods and sighs.

“Look we all understand if you need a few more days, hell I would be the same if it were Lottie.”

He nods softly. “I know, I just feel bad for leaving you all in the dust.”

“It’s no problem. You do what you need to, okay?”

He nods and sighs. “I guess another week would be nice…”

“I understand, but I don’t think we can get it that far. We’ll extend your leave to the 25th, if that’s alright?”

He nods. “Due in Luxembourg the 25th, 9 am sharp I’m guessing.”

“That’s correct Lieutenant,” he nods and Samberly nods. 

“Alright. I’ll be there.”

They say their goodbyes and hang up, before he looks at Clara.

“They want me back on the 25th, I said that was fine.”

“Of course, I wasn’t expecting you to stay here forever.”

“I’ll be on a plane the 23rd though, can’t imagine anything else, since I need to get there fast.”

She nods. “Of course. LA to New York, New York to Paris, Paris to Luxembourg?”

He nods. “Probably something like that and then I’ll call you one I land in Luxembourg, hopefully, or send a telegram.”

She nods and kisses his head, and he sighs out before looking at her.

“Uhm. I got a letter from the cemetery. They have a MIA wall put up, so I requested that she well…go on there instead of a gravesite. They said yes, but that won’t happen until after your gone, but I figured…0”

“Yeah, that’s fine, of course it is.” He nods and sits down on the couch, fiddling with his hands.

She nods and starts to cook dinner, before clearing her throat. “You don’t have to stay here, you can have back to your house.”

“I know, but I don’t know what I would do if I was by myself.”

She nods and he starts to help her, with Amelia pawing at his feet.

“Are you by chance…”

“Cooking chicken?” she chuckles and he laughs.

“Amelia always wanted some whenever I cooked it.”

“Yes, she does, should we give her a bit?”

He nods and once it was all the way cooked, he put a bit in a bowl for Amelia and set it down for her. She gobbled it up quick, and he laughs slightly and sets the plates for them. They ate silently, and Samberly can’t help but sigh a little. He well… wasn’t expecting this when he came home on leave. He expected Evie to be there, and them in their house, and just relaxing before they went back.

He sighs out. “I should’ve fought harder to make her stay here.”

“She would’ve been mad at you,” she says softly, and he sighs.

“Better her being mad at me than MIA…”

“You know you didn’t necessarily have a choice, right? She was going to go one way or another.”

“I know, I couldn’t say no if I tried,” he sighs softly.

She kisses his head before getting up to the dishes, and he cleans up before helping her, before going to bed. He sighs out softly, but ends up getting a bit of sleep.

Nick ended up coming the day after, and they hung out and talked a little. He was just there for a week, and they both got on the same flights, although he was going frm Paris to Metz. They pretty much hung out every single day, riding around Los Angeles and going around their old sights. Santa Monica Pier, where Evie got a little too buzzed a few nights before graduation, Griffith Observatory, Cole’s… it was all a little to much for him, and when they got to Griffith Park, he sat down on the bench and sighs slightly.

Nick sighs softly, before sitting next to him and he holds his head in his hands. “I miss her.”

“Me too…” he says softly.

He sighs before looking at him. “Can we go back to…”

“Of course,” he smiles, and gets to their car.

He sits in the front seat, and sighs, watching him drive and wishing it was him driving, and Evie in the seat next to him, fiddling with the radio. They get back to Clara’s house, and Nick smiles at him softly before holding him close.

“It’ll be alright,” he nods and they go inside, and seeing Aunt Vi and Clara talking quietly. He smiles lightly at the both of them, before going inside and nodding.

“I assume that means we’re having Italian tonight,” Al smiles and they nod.

“That alright?” Aunt Vi asks and he nods.

They get cooking and he smiles before nodding. “I think this is my last night, but I wish it were longer. And that Evie were here…”

Nick nods. “But she would be yelling at me for not apologizing to Charlie.”

“You still haven’t…”

“No, not since well… before Santa Barbara.”

“Oh, I…”

“And he’s where, Santa Cruz?”

He nods sadly and Nick sighs. “Just… bad timing, and then well, everything that went on… well.”

He nods and sighs out. “I think you two need to make up. Evie would want it.”

He nods before speaking quietly. “I think I will. Once this war is over though…”

“Yeah, once this war is over.”

The next day was spent packing, and then he and Nick met back up at Union Station to take the train to Chicago, then Chicago to New York, a flight from New York to London, and then London to Paris. They broke off in Paris, but Samberly hugged him tight. “Stay alive, okay? I don’t know if I can take…”

“How does I’ll do my best sound?” He smiles and Samberly nods.

“Sounds good,” he nods, before going to his station and going to Luxembourg. Once he got there, he went to the address and he sighs, looking at them before dropping off his bags at his bunk, where people had left little things fo him. Just little chocolates and letters and notes and things. It was nice and he would read them later, but right now, he reported in and Dooley nods, saying that it was good to have him home, and that he needed to just rest up and he would be sent back into the field this afternoon. He nods and holds his pictures tight, before laying down on his bed.

It was official then, he was an unmarried man. And a widower.


	4. Chapter 4

_"I'm headed straight for the floor, the alcohol served its tour. And it's headed straight for my skin leaving me daft and dim. I've got this shake in my legs, shaking the thoughts from my head. But who put these waves in the door? I crack and out I pour. I'm Mr. Loverman and I miss my lover, man_. _I'm Mr. Loverman_. _Oh, and I miss my lover...”_

_~ Mr. Loverman, Rick Montgomery_

* * *

Al works again on the radios, his mind still reeling from what had happened in the last few weeks. He knows that Evie was looking down on him and smiling, but he was still nervous as hell and still a mess. He knew that Evie would be able to tell him different, but he couldn’t. He didn’t have the gal to tell her differently.

He gets there, and everyone was more quiet near him. They all kinda ended up just talking to him, and telling him that she was in a “Better place” and that she was with God and all that shit, and he hated it with every fiber of his being. He knew they meant well, but she was MIA, and he just didn’t like that they were implying. He did his work though without a nary or a quiver, and just made sure that he got through the day. That was how most of the men were except for James. Lieutenant James didn’t believe that his wife died for a second and made him feel shitty about taking time off.

He goes back to his bunk, before getting his flask out and drinking from it. The bourbon burned down his throat, but at this point, without it, he knew he would be a mess. The men had decided to give him some space at first and then come back once he was, well. More stable than he was, but still. Didn’t hurt at all.

He nods, looking at the radio and fixed it up, before waiting it out and doing some paperwork. While he maintained the radios, he did have to help with paperwork, and well… he didn’t like that as much as toying around with the radios. The men were doing some sort of exercise, but it was just for them to keep busy and not goof off. 

He takes another swig of his flask and sets it down. Thank goodness Major Dooley hadn’t caught on yet. They did keep a close eye on him because of something called broken heart syndrome, but other than that they really didn’t care what he did outside of work, which was mainly drinking. He would just sit outside and drink away. It wasn’t anything against them, but when the memories of Evie were too much to handle, well… it helped. Mostly a few people would end up getting him to bed, and he would fall asleep, or if he was working that night, he just wouldn’t drink.

The next day came around and he sighs before getting up. He opens his footlocker before getting his clothes out and not finding his pictures of Evie. He turns to his roommate, David, who was waking up slowly at the sound of Reveille.

“Hey David?” He asks.

“Yeah?” He says, getting up.

“Did you take my pictures of…”

“Define take pictures?”

“Like, I used to have pictures down the side, but now they’re gone.”

David shoots up. “Your pin-“

“Yeah, but I hid them behind a few pictures of her and her friends.”

“Shit, okay, I’ll go check with the other Lieutenants, you go check with Dooley.”

“I- why do I have to check with Dooley, he’ll kill me!”

“Because if you fess up, he’ll kill you less!”

He sighs before throwing on his clothes and rushing downstairs to the mess hall, eating breakfast fast before starting to take his plate up. He sees James and Dooley talking and he takes a deep breath before putting his plate up and calming down before walking over.

Dooley nods before smiling. “Lieutenant,” he nods and Al salutes.

“Major,” and Dooley nods.

“At ease, Lieutenant,” he says.

“Can I speak to you, privately?” Al says nervously.

“Is this about these?” he says and holds up the pictures.

Al blushes and nods, before reaching for them and him pulling them away.

“Pin ups, Lieutenant, weather they be of your wife or not, are still illegal in here.”

“Can I please have any of the pictures back, even of the not pinup ones?”

“You may have the other ones, but not the pin ups.”

Al nods sadly. “Of course sir.”

He gives them back, and Al puts them in his breast pocket, and James snickers softly. Al looks at him and James cracks a grin.

“Fair enough you’d want pictures of your gal,” he smiles and Al nods.

“She’s- was everything to me,” he nods, looking down.

“Yeah, well obviously,” he scoffs.

Al sighs. “The hell does that mean Lieutenant?”

“Can’t sleep, can’t eat, can’t do anything except drink and cry over your wife,” he whines.

“That’s not true, I’ve fixed up the radios and did paperwork-“

“Hell, I wouldn’t be surprised if you made all this up in order to see her,” he sneers and Al stops.

“Say it again,” he says threateningly.

“You made up your wife dying in order to skip out on doing real work.”

And so Al punches him. It wasn’t the best punch he’s thrown, but it certainly hit its mark, right in the middle of his smug face. James punched him back and well, the fight starts there. All the men clear out, and he tries to get as many hits in as he can in. James ends up pinning him and Dooley runs up and pulls him back, but he resists it.

“Break it up,” Dooley yells, and Samberly jolts back and spits at James.

“That’s what you get you no good son of a-“ 

“That’s enough. The both of you. David, will you tell me what the hell happened.”

“They were talking, and James insinuated that Al skipped on us in order to spend more time with his wife when he left for two weeks and well…”

Dooley nods. “James, my office. Al, dish duty and then my office.”They nod and salute, before Al walks back and does the dishes with the cooks, and had a few boys pat him on the back. He sighs, before finishing up and walking slowly back to his tent and sitting before going to Dooley’s and knocking. He heard him finish up, and a “Come in!”

He nods and salutes, and Dooley nods, with Colonel Railey there as well.

“Sir, if this is about what happened this morning, James star-“

“Lieutenant, sit,” Dooley says harshly and he sits down, scared.

“Colonel Railey and I were talking about what happened and we just want to know what happened.”

He nods. “Okay. Woke up this morning, got my clothes out and I realized that my, well, pin up photos were missing. David woke up as well and he didn’t know where they were either, so I decided just to tell you because I knew I’d get in trouble for it anyways, so I figured I’d might as well just fess up.”

“Fair enough, so then the fight…” Colonel Railey says.

“I got some of the pictures back, and me and James had a conversation ending with him saying that I lied about my wife dying to take time off. I told him to say it again, and he did, and well…”

Dooley sighs softly. “Justifiable, but you will have disciplinary action. We can’t have people just punching others when they feel like it.”

“I understand sir.”

“For right now, I’m not letting you on leave, and you’ll be off radios and on paperwork full time.”

“That’s fair enough,” he sighs softly.

“You’re dismissed, but we’ll figure out something. For right now, I want you in my office working on paperwork. That’s all.”

He salutes and goes to get his paperwork, before filling up on his flask, and going back. It wasn’t bad, just mind-numbing and filling out technical reports. Major Dooley watched him like a hawk, and ended up leaving for a bit for lunch and he goes with him. The men nod at him and pat his back, some of them saying, good job.

He nods before getting his lunch. He didn’t see James, but that could be anything. He sits down to eat and drink a little alcohol. Not enough to get drunk but enough to take the edge off and blur everything a little.

He stands up, gaining his balance and nodding, getting back to work.

Thanksgiving came, and he was able to go out with people, but was confined to designated walker. He did however, got someone to fill up his flask for him. It was rough for him, but he did have his alcohol and his friends to be with him Thanksgiving wasn’t Evie’s favorite holiday, but they did go to the Hollywood Christmas parade every year, or the Rose Bowl parade once they were in Pasadena.

He sips out of his flask and toasts it up to the sky. “Happy thanksgiving Evie,” he sighs softly, still drinking away his worries. He could tell that Dooley was worried about him, from the way he looked at him to the way he always made sure someone was with him. Right now it was David, and he nods at David, and he rubs his back. “Ready to go back?”

He shrugs. “Just a few more minutes.”

He nods and sits with him, looking at the stars. “She’s officially…”

“MIA, presumed dead officially. They never found a body.”

David nods. “Think James would kill you more for that?”

He shrugs. James had quieted down after the fight. Some things were said in Dooley’s office and he was quieter and focused more on radios, not even looking Samberly in the eye.

His court marshal happened the week after and he explained himself. As of right now, he got off pretty scot-free as it was a “justifiable” fight, but they did sternly warn him that he would get demoted if this type of thing happened again. He nods, and Dooley nods, and that was that.

They get back, and James hands him his mail. He looks through it and smiles, getting the latest letter from Miss Clara. He sighs. She was writing to him religiously, keeping him updated with how things were at home and progress pictures of Amelia, but it just wasn’t the same.

Some good news came though, and that was Charlie got a job in Los Angeles. He gotten at Los Angeles County Hospital, working in the emergency room there. He loved it there, and he liked to see what people were doing as well as seeing people react to him.

They were pulled out of Bastogne at the nice and early hour of 2 am, and well, he wan’t to happy about it. Bastogne was nice, and there were a couple of American soldiers that had figured out what they did and ended up heckling them a little for information, including a guy with dark brown hair, who was looking in wonder at the inflatable tanks. Christmas came and went, and he sighs, holing up in Verdun. They did get to meet some refugees but even then, Samberly was quiet, and sat with the kids. Some of the kids liked him, but most of them were quiet, and there was one boy who they couldn’t even get to smile.

He sits outside, in the snow before sipping on his whiskey and sees Major Dooley come out and sigh.

“Really Al?”

“This is the first holiday without her, and it finally hit that she’s…”

He nods softly.

“You don’t have to go down the alcoholic path,” Dooley starts and Samberly looks at him.

“I’m not-“

“We all know what you have in that flask Lieutenant. Just give it up, and I’ll help you keep sober,” Dooley says, holding out his hand.

Samberly glares at him and keeps drinking. “If I stop, then memories of her come back, and I’m more afraid of her than you,” he says after a bit.

Dooley nods before sitting down. “We’ll figure something out, just give me the flask.”

“I can’t…”

“Lieutenant Aloysius Samberly, hand me that flask before I take it out of your hands.”

He nods, scared and hands it over, and he goes and dumps it out. “How long…” Dooley says, looking at him.

“Since the letter…”

He nods softly. “From now on, I’m not having you drink. You’re forbidden.”

He nods before holding his flask, shaking.

Dooley helps him up. “Come on. Off to bed.”

He nods before going to bed. His withdrawals were not the best, but he was pretty much sober by January and was fine by it. He was still shaky without his alcohol, but the men helped him through it, and he ends up doing more work than ever, helping prepare for most of the new distractions and working hard to make up for the last few months. This was important, and he quickly figured out everything, before explaining it easily. Dooley was up his ass about multiple things, but mainly the drinking, and how he shouldn’t do it.

Dooley was a really funny one right now. Mainly because of the fact that he was writing so much down and following him, questioning him about everything and anything. He explained it as best he could, and he nods and writes it down, thinking seriously about something, and he nods and writes it down, before nodding softly, and going back to his office, put up the do not disturb sign and calling someone and debating with something. He didn’t mind but it was confusing to him. He was doing everything right, at least he thought he was. And Dooley was a straight shooter and wouldn’t just not tell him what was up, but he seemed to be really, well… secretive. 

It was March by now, and he sighs, drinking water, and looking up at the sky. Something just seemed wrong. He couldn’t put a finger on it, but he knew something was going to happen. And it was at night when it did.

He was double checking the radios when he started hearing artillery shells. He looks over at Dooley who paid him no mind… well. That was until they landed on one of the camouflage outfits. He looks at Dooley.

“Lieutenant… Pack up quick.”

He nods and starts packing up, running back and forth and packing up, before dodging some artillery shells, and getting everyone else. He packs everything radio up before going to his bunk and getting his pictures of her, and running back down. They packed up, and Al was running to the truck before he feels an explosion behind him…

And it all went black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disciplinary action was just that. 
> 
> While alcoholism was Severely common, and wasn't necessarily treated as a problem until it got out of hand, I decided to take this route instead. 
> 
> Yes that is a Bastogne and Daniel reference. 
> 
> March 12th, 1945 was the Ghost Army's deadliest day, as they had fooled the Germans so well the they did in fact get bombed with artillery shells. 2 killed, 15 injured.


	5. Chapter 5

_“We march along with faith undaunted, beside our gallant fighting men; Whenever they are sick or wounded, we nurse them back to health again. As long as healing hands are wanted, you’ll find the nurses of the Corps. On ship or plane, on transport train at home or on a far off shore. With loyal heart, we do our part, for the Army and the Army Nurse Corps"_

_~ Army Nurse Corps song_

* * *

“Get him on his front, get him on his front!” Dooley screams while Al feels two other guys lift him into the truck while Dooley screams for a medic.

They start moving and Samberly whimpers softly feeling a bunch of pain in his back, like needles in his back, and Dooley nods.

“Yeah, I know kid, but we gotta make sure that you don’t go into shock,” Dooley says, brushing his hair, and putting a blanket onto him and giving him morphine.

“There, morphine, until we can get you to a hospital. I’m afraid that’s the best we can do for now,”he sighs.

“Okay,” he says drowsily, and Dooley checks under his shirt before touching right on the edge of where it hurts, and he hisses.

“No falling asleep on us Lieutenant.”

“But morphine makes me tired,” he sighs out.

Dooley nods. “Alright. How did you propose to Evie?”

“On the beach, one of my friends from college ended up letting us use his uncle’s private beach for the day, and we ended up hanging out there for the day, and I proposed that afternoon.”

“And how did you meet?”

“Mrs. Adam’s English class, senior year of high school.”

“Was it love at first sight?”

“For me it was,” he sighs softly, thinking about Evie.

He nods as the truck starts moving. “We’re going to the hospital.”

He nods softly and sighs lightly, waiting it out. They get there and the doctor gets him in triage group 1, and he’s on his front on a bed before he can say anything else. The doctors look and whistle lowly.

“You’re extremely lucky. You burned your back and a bit of your arms but it didn’t hit your shoulders, elbows, or hips.”

“Does that mean I can go back to work?” He says sleepily.

“No. We’ll going to give you some more morphine, then anesthesia and start on cleaning them, okay?”

“Alright…” he says softly while a nurse smiles at him before checking his blood pressure, pulse and temperature.

He nods, before seeing a chaplain come up and the nurse talking to him. “Am I going to die?” he says scared.

“It’s looking good, but… I do need you to fill out a form… so. Next of kin.” he nods.

“Next of kin is my… well… I’ll just say Mother-in-law. Clara Baker, C-l-a-r-a, B-a-k-e-r.”

“Maybe you can explain to me once you’re out of surgery. Address?”

“2050 E Claudina Ave, Los Angeles, California…”

“Los Angeles, that sounds hot!”

“Sometimes, not often.”

“I see. Now, if it comes to this, anything that you want to be sent back?”

He thinks before shaking his head. “Not really, I don’t know if they got my footlocker out, and that would be it, really.”

He nods softly. “Of course,” he says before taking his hand and they started to pray, and he gets a cross on his head in holy water, and he looks at him scared.

“Remember, Lieutenant, you’ll be okay, alright?” He nods.

He nods, still scared as a nurse comes up.

“I’m Lieutenant Babbit. Looking good, we’re going to hook you up to an IV on plasma okay?”

He nods and she pokes him with a needle before giving him some plasma and nodding.

“I’m going to give you anesthesia, okay?”

He nods and she covers his face. “Count to ten for me?”

He was out like a light before he could reach six.

He ended up waking up while they were putting on gauze and nodding softly, his head still a little fuzzy. 

“You’re not supposed to be up yet,” the nurse says, and the doctor nods.

“He’ll be fine, we’re almost done anyways.”

Al nods and stays still before hissing out.

“Yeah, I know, this is going to hurt my dear.” She says softly. 

He nods and stays awake while they finish and the doctor looks at him. “No signs of shock, but I do want you to stay warm and drink something,” he nods. “Nurse, go see if we have Vitamin C.” He nods and she grins.

“Vitamin C?”

“You’ll see,” she smiles and he sighs, laying on his stomach before drifting off a little. They gave him a blanket, but it was much nicer than where they were staying in the Ghost Army. He thought about his group, and where they were right now, before ending up falling asleep for a little bit, and the nurse tapping him a little.

He wakes up in a blur, but she looks a lot like Evie, and before he could stop himself, he says. “Evie?”

She smiles softly. “Not Evie, my name’s Lieutenant Babbit, but I also go by Miss Jane,” she smiles.

He nods softly, before she does his blood pressure and takes his pulse. “Alright, a little under in blood pressure, so I’ll let you rest. Do you mind lifting your head up for me?”

He nods and lifts his head up a little and she nods. “Good.”

He slumps back down, hissing out a little as she nods, “Now, are you thirsty?”

He nods softly, coughing a little and she nods. “While we’re waiting on that Vitamin C, I’m going to give you a sip of water alright?”

He nods and she turns him to the side before having him drink a little.

“So who’s Evie?” She asks softly, putting the cup down and he blushes.

“My wife…”

She grins. “It’s alright, it happens.”

“Yeah, well… she was in Air Transport Auxiliary, but she’s missing in action, presumed…”

She nods softly. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

“It’s okay,” he nods softly.

The doctor comes out and sighs. “You, Lieutenant Samberly are a lucky son of a bitch.”

“I’m guessing it’s all fine?” He says softly.

“No, but the way you got hit, you somehow missed most of your hips and your shoulders. You did get a bit on your arms, but we debribed it and ended up .”

He nods softly. “Can I see?”

They nod softly and someone takes a mirror, and one of the guys takes another mirror and he looks at it before wincing. It was all red and raw, and while he didn’t get harder on his arms, they were still burned a little.

He sighs softly. “So hospital I’m guessing?”

“In a few days, yes. You’re from?”

“Los Angeles.”

“Then probably Brooks in Texas or Dibble in Palo Alto, California.”

He nods softly before leaning back.

“We’re going to check your back if that’s alright.”

He nods softly and they look at them, before nodding. “We can probably give him less plasma and definitely want him started on Sulfanilamide and Dankin’s solution. I do want his gauze changed every few hours.”

They nod softly and a nurse comes by and takes his temperature and pulse before looking at the thermometer. “You’re a bit low, so I’m going to tell them to give you some blankets and maybe even a heater.”

He nods softly, letting the pain wash over him.

“We’re not going to try it orally, but I’m hooking you up to Sulfanilamide.” Nurse Jane says, before hooking him up.

“What’s-“ he says before taking a breath, “Can you hand me a bucket?”

She nods quickly and gets one in time for him to throw up in and he shakes slightly, “Mmm sorry.”

“I don’t like this, let me take your vitals again,” she says softly.

He nods, still feeling sick as she checks them. “Yes, I don’t like this at all, I’m getting a doctor.”

He nods, feeling woozy and throwing up again.

“I don’t like this,” The doctor says.

“I don’t either,” Miss Jane says.

“Lieutenant? Feeling alright?” He says softly, sitting by him.

“Woozy, nauseous…” he murmurs. “Accidentally called Miss Jane my wife’s name.”

“When was that?”

“That was a bit ago, when the anesthesia was wearing off.” Miss Jane says.

He nods. “I want him on plasma again, get him heated up.

They nod and hook him up to plasma again, and he still throws up, and is shaky. He feels a bit feverish and his heart is racing again.

“I feel sick,” he murmurs, as he’s put a blanket or two on him.

“I know, but we’re going to keep you out of shock, okay?”

He nods softly before throwing up, and the nurse hums softly, before bringing him water and some crackers.

“I know you’re nauseous but try to eat this, okay?” She nods.

He nods softly and tries to eat a little bit, and that helped a little, as well as the plasma.

She nods and goes away for a little while, before coming back before taking his temperature, pulse and blood pressure. “It’s stable, but I would like it up a little more. Still feeling nauseous?”

“A little, not as much as before though,” he says softly.

She nods, before asking. “Did anyone get you Vitamin C?”

“I keep hearing them talk about it but I haven’t had any, I don’t think…”

“Oh, you’d remember,” Nurse Jane grins, “And I have it, so. This is a commodity out on the front lines, and well, we’re very lucky to have it now,” she says secretly.

He thinks… “Decent coffee?”

She laughs a little before shaking her head and pulling out a Coca-Cola bottle and he grins.

“I’m more of a Pepsi-Cola fan but…”

She nods, before moving him to the side and doing the gauze change before putting a straw in it and holding it. “Just a few sips, okay?”

He nods and sips it up.”This hit the spot, Thank you nurse Jane. “

She smiles softly and leaves him, and he sits there softly, before looking at the board. He was going home, weather he liked it or not.

He sleeps for a little while, and sleep apparently had done the trick as they had confirmed he was out of shock by now, and that he was to be bumped up on Sulfanilamide and given less plasma. He nods, still sleeping it off and they change his dressing and nod, talking quietly.

“Okay Lieutenant, you are clear to go to the hospital.”

He nods softly. “A different one?”

The doctor nods softly. “A stateside one.”

He nods softly and smiles as he gets all prepped and ready to go.

He was put on a plane, taking off for Paris, and well…

He was going home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Plasma was a commodity on the front lines, and so was Coca-cola ;). 
> 
> Sulfanilamide and Dankin's solution were both things that were being used at the time to treat burns, as well as plasma and debribing the area.
> 
> Brooks General Hospital is the Burn center (if you read Quo Vadis by paeonia, Brooks is the England Gen of burns) but Dibble is closer. Closest would be Birmingham in Van Nuys, but that focused on tropical diseases instead of plastic surgery (Dibble) or Burns (Brooks). 
> 
> Comments and kudos make my week!


	6. Chapter 6

" _Comin' in on a wing and a prayer! Comin' in on a wing and a prayer! Though there's one motor gone we can still carry on. Comin' in on a wing and a prayer"_

_~ Comin' in on a Wing and a Prayer, The Song Spinners_

* * *

Al sighs, shifting on his stomach, trying to get a good night’s sleep while they were flying over The Atlantic. After much deliberation, which ended up with the doctor’s in England asking where he wanted to go, he said that he wanted to go as close to Los Angeles as possible, and then the doctors saying that that would be Dibble Hospital in Palo Alto, California. He shrugs before nodding and they nod as well before going with Dibble. He was excited. It was closer to home, and closer to everything he wanted. And plus…

He would be able to see Miss Baker again. Plus, withhim being closer to home, this would let him be closer to being done with his time in the service. He sighs, before falling back asleep, holding the pillow close to him.

They land in New York and he’s transferred to a hospital on a military base before they can send him out, but they allow him to call and he nods before calling home and waiting for her to answer, and she does, thank god.

“Hello?” Miss Clara says and he sighs out.

“Hi Miss Clara,” he says quietly, and she sighs out before yelling.

“Aloysius Herbert Samberly, do NOT give me that sort of scare, ever again, you hear me?”

He nods and sighs. “Yes Miss Clara.”

“And none of that, Will I? Won’t I? Stuff, okay.”

He nods again and he says, “Alright.”

“So how bad is it?” She says lightly.

“Burnt most of my back, but the good news is that it didn’t hit my shoulders, but it’s mostly second degree.”

She takes a moment. “Where are they sending you?”

“Dibble, in Palo Alto?” he says, looking at the sheet.

She nods. “California I’m guessing?”

He smiles lightly and nods. “Yeah, in Palo Alto, I don’t really know where it is…”

“It’s up by San Francisco, one of my friend’s moved up there before you two were married.”

He nods, “I think I need to go, but…”

“Of course, just call me alright? I’ll try to visit but with travel restrictions and being a volunteer…”

“I understand,” he sighs before saying goodbye and hanging up.

The nurse nods and takes him to his room, and the doctors look at him before giving him morphine and penicillin. He sighs before falling asleep.

The next day, he wakes up to feel his skin burning and he whimpers before pushing the call button for a nurse.

“Yes Lieutenant?” She says softly.

“My back… hurts.”

She nods and looks at it, before nodding. “I don’t like this…I’m getting a doctor.”

He sighs and nods, before a few doctors come in and look at it, and he sighs as he’s poked and prodded.

“Let’s see, it’s T-7 days after procedure, back feels like it’s burning, Thermal burn?”

He nods, “Yeah, a shell went off, was just too close to it.” 

They nod and check over it. “It looks okay…”

One doctor nodding before realizing. “How long has it been since he’s been debribed?”

They think before all of them nod and one doctor says “Prep him for surgery,”

The nurse nods and Al goes, “Huh?”

“We hadn’t debribed you, so we’re giving you some anesthesia and debribe you, alright?” The nurse says and he nods.

“Just want to make sure I’m okay…”

She nods before covering his mouth with a mask and asking him to count to ten.

He woke up in the hospital with the doctors surrounding him and nodding. “Right, here’s what’s going to happen. We debribed almost all of it, but there was some stuff that wasn’t there and we were wondering what it was,” The main doctor says and he nods.

“So we ended up figuring out what it was, but it was stuck to your skin and we really don’t have the tools for it, so we’re flying you to Dibble now.”

He nods softly. “Alright.”

They nod and he was rushed onto a plane with a two flight nurses, and he sighs slightly before falling asleep again.

They passed over everything, and ended up in landing at Livermore Air Base, about an hour away, but they loaded up in an ambulance and sent him on his way. The cars all moved out of the way and he fells asleep on the way there.

He ends up waking up at Dibble, and sighs, before they get him on a gurney and rush him to surgery, then puts him on Anesthesia.

He wakes up and looks at the view. Another bed was there, but empty, and he sighs, as a nurse comes in.

“Lieutenant Samberly, I’m glad to see you’re awake, I’ll take your vitals,” she nods and takes them before nodding. “Looking good,” she smiles.

“So… Dibble hospital… where?”

“Palo Alto, California,” she grins, taking out a little map and pointing. “And we know you’re from Los Angeles, which is somewhere down there. We’re about 6 hours from Los Angeles.”

He nods. “Sorry, I’m still woozy.”

“Of course,” she nods, and sets it aside before nodding. “I’ll go get the doctor, and you’re roommate is out right now doing physical therapy.”

He nods. “Anything you can tell me about him?”

She smiles lightly, “He’s nice, but why don’t you see for yourself.”

He nods and lays down, and the doctors come in and he sighs. “What’s the damage?”

“Not as bad as we thought, though we might have to yell at the people who did it. “

He nods slightly before motioning for them to continue.

“They didn’t debribe a section, so it was super infected. We’ve already debribed all of it, and so it just needs to heal up and clear up the infection.”

He nods softly and sighs. “So no more surgeries?”

He shakes his head. “Not like these.”

He nods softly. “So what next?”

“Rehab, and I want him on the physical therapy schedule the next day.”

The nurses nod, and Samberly sighs. “Will I have to sleep on my stomach for a while?”

He nods. “But, if you can tolerate it, we’d like to have you switch to your back or stand to eat.”

He nods softly. “Okay.”

The doctors nod and a picture man comes in, and he sighs slightly, before watching him take a picture or two of his back, before going off to develop it.

“You’ll see your back in a day or so, it’s just for us to see all of it. You’re going to have an x ray, just so we can make sure that it well…”

“Didn’t hit my spinal cord?”

He nods and sighs slightly. The doctors leave and he nods, sleeping a little, before he wakes up with someone bumping into the door and going to the other bed, grinning.

Al looks at him, brown hair, hands in bandages and smiles lightly. “Hi, you must be my roommate! I’m Lieutenant Benjamin Tsosie, but you can call me Ben,” he grins.

“Lieutenant Aloysius Samberly, but everyone calls me Samberly,” he nods, shaking his hand.

“Nice to meet you,” he nods.

“So, you’re obviously new to the guinea pig club, so where’d you burn yourself?”

“Bad stuff is on my lower back and lesser burns on my arms, I’m guessing your hands?”

He nods. “Just picked up a grenade and threw it, but it ended up exploding in mid air.”

Al nods softly, and Ben smiles, “Still one of the coolest things I’ve done though.”

He nods. “So what unit were you in?” Al says softly.

“7th infantry, well, Army.”

He nods, so over in the Pacific then, ”3132 Signal Service Co.”

“Is that over in Europe?”

He nods softly, and Ben grins. “Gosh, I ‘d love to go over there.”

He smiles, “It’s pretty over there.”

He nods softly. “Anyways, I’ll be here for about an hour or so.”

“I don’t think we’ve talked about this but where are you from?” Al says.

“Oh, I’m from Tuba City in Arizona.”

He nods and smiles. “I’m from Los Angeles.”

He nods. “Swell!”

He ends up reading for a bit, humming softly to himself and Al sighs lightly, before a volunteer comes with the book cart and he picks out “Of Mice and Men,” to read.

He sighs reading it, and laughs lightly with it, reading it over a little, before he ended up falling asleep after dinner.

A week had passed, and it was a whirlwind of well, whirlpool, physical therapy in his room, and saline baths every single day. Saline baths hurt like hell, but he gritted his teeth and got through it. The wounds were healing nicely, even though they were getting a little bit uncomfortable, something due to contractures, but otherwise, he was fine with it. He loved also seeing Ben’s photos from home, and Al wrote letters to Charlie, Nick and Clara.

He was sleeping again, when he heard voices talking, and a nurse saying. “This room, right here, Yes, you can see him, he might just be napping. Yes we do encourage it, it helps promote health and healing.”

He nods, hearing someone come in, and he shifts, and comes face to face with Miss Clara Baker.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact, the song "Comin' in on a Wing and a Prayer" is based off a true story, about how "On February 26, 1943, a B-17 “Flying Fortress” bomber piloted by Hugh G. Ashcraft, Jr. of Charlotte, North Carolina was limping back from a bombing mission in Germany to an American base in England. The plane, dubbed The Southern Comfort by its crew, had been riddled by flak and was damaged severely, “with a hole four feet square in the rudder, the nose shattered and the Number 3 engine spewing oil and flames.” As they approached the shores of Britain, Ashcraft told his men over the radio: “Those who want to, please pray.” Miraculously, Ashcraft got the The Southern Comfort to its home base and landed it safely, generating news in his home state of North Carolina and elsewhere about the pilot and crew that “prayed” their plane back."
> 
> Dibble General Hospital, was in fact in Palo Alto, and was situated where the Stanford Research Institute now is. It was huge estate before thew war, and then ended up being converted into a hospital and named after Colonel Dibble, who died in a plane crash over the Pacific and the hospital was named in his honor. 
> 
> The 7th was in multiple Pacific battles including, but not limited to, Marshall Islands, and Okinawa, although Ben wasn't around for that. 
> 
> Comments and kudos make my day!


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter deals with suicide a little (h!tler - himself and Germany surrendered) and electroshock therapy. Please do not read this if you don't feel comfortable and there will be a little summary at the bottom.

_“_ _I'll be seeing you_ , _i_ _n all the old familiar places_ , _t_ _hat this heart of mine embraces,_ _a_ _ll day and through”_

 _~ I’ll Be Seeing You, Billy Holiday_

* * *

“Miss Clara, I…” Samberly starts.

“You stop it, do not do whatever you did again.”

“But-“

“No, don’t do it again. I can’t lose another person.”

“I-“ he breathes out, tears threatening to spill over. “I understand.”

“How bad is it?”

“Lower to middle back, and a bit of my arms. Missed my hips and shoulders, but was infected so.”

“Did they say what kind?”

“Uhh, I think it was second but don’t quote me on that.”

She nods softly. “Sorry, once a mother, always a mother.”

He nods, and she sighs.

“How’s Amelia?” he asks.

“She’s good, sleepy a lot. But good. Still loves Chicken.”

He chuckles at that before nodding. “Anything else?”

“Not really, but that’s mainly it right?”

“Yeah, basically.”

She smiles lightly, daydreaming a little, and Al sighs.

“Evie would kill me for this…”

She stops breathing for a second, before nodding. “She wouldn’t keep her hands off of you, probably get out of the ATA to see you, and throttle you a little,” she chuckles.

He nods. He knew it was hard for the two of them to talk about Evie, so he was glad it was kinda getting out today.

He smiles sadly at her. “Well, I’d hope she would kiss me, and tell me that it was alright.”

She nods. “Or she’d throttle you.”

“Or she’d throttle me,” she chuckles and sighs.

A nurse comes in. “Alright Mr. Samberly, it’s time for your Pt. Mrs…”

“Baker,” she smiles.

“Mrs. Baker, if you could just step outside for a couple of minutes…”

“Of course not, I’ll go get some snacks for us if that’s alright?”

The nurse nods. “Of course it is. Visiting hours end at 8pm, and you’re staying…”

“In a dorm room at Stanford,” she chuckles. “I’ll be here in the morning, but my bus for San Francisco leaves at noon.”

He nods before saying. “Wait, wouldn’t it be faster just to take a train from here?”

“There’s no direct trains from here to Los Angeles, I’d have to change trains twice, over changing once.”

He nods, and she says her goodbyes, before leaving for a bit. He did his physical therapy, which was being put in an anti-contracture position, with him on his front laying down and his arms at 90 degrees. He was allowed to move his neck though. She put some lotion on, before getting him to sit up and twist his back as far as he could one way, then the other. She then made him sit down before Clara comes back with some food.

“I got you some muffins…”

He smiles. “Thanks Miss Clara,” he takes some before eating it, grinning.

“These are good!” He smiles and nods, and eats them some more.

“Good, there wasn’t much to choose from, and I got you some pen and paper from the hospital store. So that way you can write alright?”

He nods softly, taking them and putting them into his nightstand drawer. “Maybe when I’m allowed to rest on my back I can write to you, see how you’re doing.”

She nods. “I would like that.”

He nods softly, closing his eyes a little.

“Sleepy?” She smiles lightly at him.

He nods softly. “Yeah, kinda tired.”

She nods, “Why don’t you get some rest alright?”

He nods softly, falling asleep pretty fast.

He dreamed of Evie, and when he woke up, he found he sees her again, knitting something, and somewhat binding off, he guessed.

“What’s that?”

“This? Blanket. Figured you’d want it after well…”

He nods softly. “I’ll do you one better, can you get my blanket from my house?”

She nods softly. “Blue one right? Green trim?”

He nods, but holding onto the blanket. “How long did it take you too…”

“Few days? I worked on it a lot when I was waiting for the train, and well, on it coming up to San Francisco, then some on the bus ride down, and well. I’m now almost complete with it.”

He nods as his roommate comes in. “Hi Ben,” he smiles.

“Hi Al, just coming in real quick to relax, who’s this?”

“This is my former? Mother-in-law, from Los Angeles, Miss Clara Baker.”

“How do you do ma’am?” He nods.

“Good, and you as well?”

“Pretty good, I’m excited, I get to go on an overnight pass with my family.”

“Oh?” She smiles, “And where are they from?”

“Tiny town in Arizona called Tuba City.”

She nods softly, and Ben starts packing up, checking up on everything.

“Got this, got that,” he looks over it all again, and nods. “Looks good to me.”

Al smiles and nods, and Ben sits and looks at them. “It’ll be a while until you can go out unfortunately.”

He nods, “Kinda figured,” Clara and him sat quietly talking, when Ben smiles while looking out the window. They ended up sitting together quietly, and Ben sits quietly, trying to figure out something. Someone knocks at the door, and he grins.

“Shizhé’é, shimá!” He smiles and hugs them. “Ready to go?”

They nod silently and he picks up his bag, carrying it over his shoulder, before talking to them in a language that they didn’t understand.

“Anyways,” Clara starts. “Everything good?”

He nods. “Just thought it was a suicide mission, what we went through.”

She shakes her head. “No, not everything is, it’s only in your head that you think that.”

“What do you?”

“You lost your wife just over a few months ago, it’s alright if you’re sad, but don’t let it consume you.”

He nods softly. “I just… I’m lost without…”

“I know,” she nods. “Just… I know you’re still grieving her, and I don’t want to lose a son.”

He nods, and they eat dinner together, before she leaves. He nods and sighs softly, trying to sleep.

She left the day after, and he sighs, going back to physical therapy and such, and nodding softly. Ben came back that morning as well, and he smiles at him before nodding.

“Want some bread?”

“Huh?” He looks at him.

“Oh, you’re not…”

“Not…”

“Diné, so you don’t know!”

“Know what?”

“Fry bread, here, try some,” he hands him some bread, that well… was fried and puffy, and he eats it before looking at him.

“This is so good,” he says, finishing it off. “What’s in it?”

He grins. “I’ll make sure to tell my mom that,” he chuckles. “But to answer your question, fry bread is mainly flour, water, milk and then, well… fried.”

“Ah,” he nods, wiping his hands. “Well it was good and I’d have it again, if your mom wants to bring some…”

He nods. “I’ll let her know.”

The next few weeks passed by quickly, with him doing physical therapy everyday, and looking at colleges classes for when the semester started back up and he could actually, well… go back and use his GI Bill, and his payment.

He wasn’t allowed out of the hospital yet, but he was happy to be able to be on his way to being discharged.He learned about Captain America disappearing and FDR dying and he sighs softly. No one was happy about any of that. It was just whammy after whammy and he nods softly. He smiles lightly before watching them and reading. His physical therapy was mainly well… working on his back and arms, stretching them and such. He was cleared a few days after to walk around by himself, and Ben showed him around, and he nods. He was also in discussion group.

He wasn’t necessarily talkative in discussion group, he just wanted to let his feelings be, but that wasn’t necessarily going to happen. The nurse kept asking him to talk and he talked a little, but was kinda silent whenever the topic of love came up. It was a lot for him to talk about her, and he was silent. The nurse noticed, and nodded at him, and he sighs.

It was May, and the weather felt sickeningly hot, and he nods softly, trying to get himself together. Discussion group was fine, and he smiles and nods, but one of the men turns to him and asks something.

“What about you Al? Anything about a girl?”

He sighs softly. The truth would have to come out eventually…

“I had a wife, but she went MIA, presumed dead. Plane crash, last October.”

The men looked at him and nodded quietly.

They talked a little about it, and they all nodded before looking at him scantily and he sighs out, scared. Somehow Evie was always lurking in the back of his mind and as much as he tried he couldn’t get away from her. Not that it was bad, but he was happy when she wasn’t lurking in the back of his mind. This really only happened when he was close to one of the more sad days. Like Evie’s birthday. It was coming up soon, and he was nervous.

But good news was that the war in Europe in over. Hitler had killed himself and Germany had surrendered a few days after on May 8th. The war was ending and he was happy about it. And on May 8th, he was allowed to go out for a few hours and celebrate. Nothing on going outside, but he was allowed to go out within the hospital and celebrate with everyone.

Evie’s birthday came up on him, and he sent down some jewelry, and gave Clara enough money to buy tulips and leave them at the MIA wall. He sighs, not talking to anyone really, and he ended up in his room, sobbing a little, and trying to clam himself down, but he could only see Evie sitting next to him, and he sobs harder.

He misses her. He truly does. Not even a nice little miss where somedays he could function normally, but no, this was a huge miss. Like a button was pressed at all times that caused him grief, and he sniffles, trying not to cry harder.

Ben comes in and immediately noticed that he was well… like this, and sits down.

“What’s wrong?” He says quietly.

“Uhm…” he sniffles. “How does if I talk about it I’ll start crying more?”

He nods softly, and thankfully doesn’t push him more, but he does leave him alone for most of the day. He ends up getting ready for Physical therapy, and even then he didn’t push himself as much as he usually does. This was in part due to today, and mostly because he was sure not to over extend himself.

Occupational therapy was next, and that was basically just him painting little models. He liked it, and it helped him stretch his back a little, letting him move his shoulders a little more. And he went swimming with his little group to help stretch the muscles in his back. He also worked in the radio control station and did some more PT.

Once he got back, he was throughly exhausted, and he cried really hard that night, while Ben was still asleep. One of the nurses came in and sat with him, rubbing his hand as he cried, and thankfully didn’t ask about it. She did however, alert the psych ward, and he got a visit from them the day later, and he sighs, telling them about what happened. They nodded and said that he was going to go for another discussion group, except it was only him.

He nods and they forced him to go. He really didn’t like it, and he just wanted to bury Evie down and not talk about her, but well… he was messed up by it all. And he hated it. They made him do somethings that he thought wasn’t good, like hooking him up to a machine that induced seizures.They let him out once they were sure that he was alright, but he was sure about something. He wasn’t going to talk about Evie ever again. This was the first and last time he was talking about her to someone he met after the war… ever.

He was finally allowed out of the hospital in July, just in time for the 4th of July celebrations and smiles at them.They were celebrating a lot of things, and he was celebrating as well. He had applied for classes at Stanford, and he ended up getting in and so, he was to do it part time to catch up on his doctorate. He started it next semester, in the fall, but he was happy to get back into the natural groove of things again.

It was a week after and he sighs, looking out the window. Ben was on furlough for a few days, and someone nods and salutes, and Major Dooley comes in. He sits up and salutes and Major Dooley shakes his head, before sitting down. “How are you?”

“Doing alright,” he nods.

He nods and smiles. “I’m here on a personal mission, and I think you’ll like the offer I have for you.What do you know about the SSR?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, a lot has happened! 
> 
> If you are just joining us. Clara Baker makes an appearance at Dibble, and we find out that Ben is Dinè (Navajo). Life catches up with everyone, as FDR dies, and Captain America goes missing. With Evie's birthday coming up, he sends some money down and he ends up crying hard, ending up with him being sent for psychiatric appointments. The chapter ends a week after the 4th of July, when Dooley visits and goes... "What do you know about the SSR?” 
> 
> 2-4, then 6-8 was the visiting hours for Dibble hospital. 
> 
> “Shizhé’é, shimá!” Mom and dad in Diné. 
> 
> Fry bread is exactly as stated. Flour, sugar, water milk, stirred up and fried. 
> 
> College classes were a thing, and they had busses that would take patients to either the local high school, the community college, or Stanford University. 
> 
> I'm guessing at the Cap death, but I believe it was March 1945, and FDR would die in April and the war in Europe would be done in May. 
> 
> The Ghost army would be on furlough from July 1st for 30 days, timing up perfectly with this... unexpected visit from Major Dooley.


	8. Chapter 8

_"_ _ So long sad times, go long bad times. We are rid of you at last. Howdy gay times, cloudy gray times, you are now a thing of the past.  _ _ Happy days are here again! The skies above are clear again. So let's sing a song of cheer again, happy days are here again."  
~ Happy Days are Here Again, Ben Selvin and his Orchestra  _

* * *

He looks at him funnily. “The SSR… not much, but are they the ones that are responsible for Captain America?”

Dooley nods waves his head. “Among other things, yes.”

He nods and Dooley starts talking. “The SSR, or Strategic Scientific Reserve, is like the FBI but more specialized, I would say. It’s a mix of civilians and army, yes, but we need agents.”

“And you want me to be in it because?”

“You can explain things better than anyone in the field, and you’re a good improvisor. You can make stuff out of anything.”

He nods softly, blushing. “Thanks… Where would I be going if I got in and applied.”

“To New York or Washington DC…”

He nods. “I… I would like to stay here, in California just because of…”

Dooley nods. “Okay… so I’ll put your name down for a position here. It doesn’t mean you’ll get in, but if an office opens in California… you’d be contacted for an interview at least.”

He nods softly, “Sounds good. How’s Loretta?”

Dooley sighs. “She cheated on me. Plumber from Hoboken. Caught them kissing in the kitchen, I still don’t know why…”

Samberly sighs. “Oh jeez, I’m so sorry… I didn’t…”

“No, no ones knows,” Dooley sighs out.

“Well… what can I do to prepare if I do happen to get in?”

“Just make sure you’re ready for anything. And you’re up to date on your physicals and such.”

He nods. “Yes sir.”

Dooley nods and leaves his contact number and address, and Samberly salutes and he salutes back, and he leaves, and Samberly nods, taking the paper and writing a thank you letter, before going back, and nodding, sighing out. So there was hope on the other side of this.

He sighs out before nodding and he goes to physical therapy, working on his back, and occupational therapy, which was working at the radio station there. He liked it, and he liked the men there as well. Him and Ben would end up meeting up for dinner before retiring to his room, and he nods softly, smiling. And then the Echo Park Lake murders happened. 2 girls dumped into Echo Park Lake. It was not pretty, and he told Miss Baker to stay safe, but the murderer seemed to stop as soon as they started. 

Hiroshima and Nagasaki were bombed with something called atomic bombs and he winces when someone turns on the radio to it. It honestly looked like hell. And the photos that came out of it were… disgusting. He couldn’t decide weather or not to throw up or keep staring at them. He sighs, but Japan surrendered, and so the war was over. He grins, but he sighs lightly. He still wasn’t allowed to go out and school was starting somewhat soon.

He was going to go part-time, just Tuesdays and Thursday evenings, and work on his Doctorate in electrical engineering, then hopefully he’d be able to go back home, to Pasadena and end up well… going back to Caltech and working there. Or at Stanford if he could swing an apartment. He didn’t mind either way.

A few weeks had passed and it was his birthday. Not his first one in the service, but probably his last, and he smiles lightly, waking up. It was a Friday and he grins, as the charge nurse smiles. “Happy birthday,” she grins. “There’ll be some men coming to wish you a happy birthday.”

He nods slightly, and the head doctor comes in and smiles. “Alright Lieutenant Samberly, I got some good news. You’re back is healed up enough that we can let you go outside, and not just indoors. I know it’s your birthday, but please keep it simple, like to a restaurant. Stay light on the alcohol side of things, we just don’t want it interfering, but you should be good for going out for tonight, for what, two hours do you think?”

The nurse nods. “Yes, but you’ll want to get back in time for 1900… So… 1700 to 1900 is your pass time.”

He nods. “Alright.”

“You should tell the men that you have your pass for that time, and so they can get you out. I’m sure your roommate will want to take you out around town a little.”

He nods, before starting the day. He had his Stanford orientation at the hospital at 0800, so off he went to the theatre in order to get his stuff. He picked up his class schedule, only on Tuesdays and Thursday, all in the late afternoon, evening time, and they did work it around his regular schedule at the hospital.

He did get a lot of happy birthday’s from everyone, including his roommate and his friends. He just sat with Ben at mess halls and met others through him. David was a tanker, who burned his legs, George was a plastic surgery fellow, who had his plane crash in the Philippines and James, not the James he had punched, well, he was blind thanks to some shrapnel. They all had met in the music room, and they were happy to add Al to their little group of friends. It was fun, and they were happy together. So, he got excited when it was his birthday and they saw him and smiled.

“Happy birthday,” Ben grins.

“Thanks,” he smiles.

David, George and James had all offered their own versions of happy birthday, and he nods, before eating with them. “So… what are you doing?”

“I’ve already had my orientation for Stanford, but other than that, just general life at Dibble,” he shrugs and eats.

They nod. “We heard you got your first pass out, and so we’re going to take you out.”

“Oh?” He chuckles. 

They laugh, “Not bad, I promise,” Ben nods and winks, before resuming eating and going off to pt, and James ended up going to OT as well.

“So just us three?” Al smiles, and David and George nod.

“What do you want to do birthday boy?” David chuckles.

He smiles sheepishly. “If we weren’t in the army… I’d have the day off, first off… and then I’d end up sleeping in, and just relaxing all day before getting dinner out, probably at Cole’s.”

They nod. “And even with Evie?”

He blushes and nods. They ended up getting Evie out of him once they realized why he was off in June, and well… he wasn’t mad about actually. It did help him figure out what boundaries he wanted to set with people about Evie, and how he was going to react about her.

He smiles as he made his way to his PT at 9:30, and then OT at 11. Lunch at 12, and more “Happy Birthday”’s and a pretty good meal, before someone covered his eyes and he hears Ben chuckle as Al ends up batting his hands away to see,

“Miss Frost,” he grins, blushing.

“Oh please, call me Whitney,” she smiles, and he smiles.

“Whitney then,” he smiles at her.

“I hear it’s your birthday today, Lieutenant,” she grins, and he nods. 

“Yes. I’m turning 33 today,” he smiles at her.

She smiles softly. “Happy birthday,” she grins and he smiles softly. God, she looked just like Evie.

“So, birthday boy, I was wondering if you were going to the USO dance tonight?”

“Wasn’t planning on it before now, why?”

She smiles. “Well, I’ll be there for one, and two,” she grins. “Would you like to have a dance with me soldier?”

He blinks softly before saying yes and everyone around him chuckles, and Whitney smiles, and that was that. He smiles lightly at her and they all slap his back lightly as she goes, and he smiles lightly. A dance with Whitney Frost… God help him.

He ended up going hard on physical therapy, and he worked in the Occupational therapy as well. He got dressed in his Class A’s that had arrived back in the ward to have Ben, George, David and a few other guys from the ward take him out for dinner. They toasted, and he stuck with Coca-cola, and ate, well, surprisingly, pretty good pizza. There were a couple men who hadn’t eaten pizza yet, so they were happy to share and see who liked it, and most people did.

He ate slow and enjoyed it, as they sang happy birthday, before leaving and cleaning up for the USO dance in the gym. He gets there a bit early, not to disappoint Miss Frost, and smiles lightly, watching them before seeing Miss Frost and smiling, before making his way over to her.

“Lieutenant Samberly!” She smiles.

“Miss Frost,” he smiles.

“Good birthday?”

He nods. “So far, hopefully it ends well,” he grins and she laughs. “What would you like the band to play?”

“I’m not picky, anything but Moonlight Serenade,” he nods carefully.

She nods, not questioning him and asks for something for the nod and the band starts to play “Coming in on a Wing and a Prayer.” He grins before starting to dance with her, just taking his time. He knew she was married to Calvin Chadwick, but it was nice to dance with her.

“I love this song, so good pick,” he chuckles.

“Oh really?”

He nods, “My wife was a pilot, this song always reminds me of her.”

She nods. “Is she here?”

He shakes his head. “MIA, presumed dead. Plane Crash, October of 44.”

She winces. “I’m sorry, I-“

“It’s alright, it happened a bit ago.”

She nods and dances with him for a couple more songs, before dancing with a couple other soldiers, and he smiles, waiting around and grinning at them. It was a good end to the night anyways.

2 weeks later, he started his courses at Stanford. Just some rudimentary courses, to try and well, get him back on track for when he finally ended up going back and to give him some weight academically. It was fine, honestly, and he liked being back in the classroom again.It was just that he’d rather see well… more than just the hospital and Stanford. He wanted to go home. There was a chance, around Thanksgiving, but it wasn’t set in stone just yet. 

However, he was cleared for an overnight pass once he could get someone to go with him… and that ended up being Clara Baker, once he phoned her. She could stay the 21st through the 22nd, which was fine by him. They allowed it, but he still had to come in for physical therapy, and he nods. He probably wasn’t going to talk much either that day, and that was alright as well.

Another two weeks passed by and he sighs, packing up for his first overnight stay. Clara had gotten the rundown on it from everyone but they did give them a bit of an extra run down, before they were let loose. They stayed at a hotel nearby and he smiles. “Height of luxury this is,” he chuckles and she nods.

“Indeed,” she grins, before nodding. “Listen I don’t want to push it, but can I see your…”

He nods and takes off his shirt and she looks. “It’s not that bad…”

“I know I just… would rather not have people see it. That’s all.”

She nods softly, before kissing his head. “I think it looks good.”

He smiles before putting his shirt back on, and taking care of it as he should. He took her around Stanford a little, before putting her back on the train and nodding. The doctors said it was healing up nicely, and well… he was happy that it was. He also was doing well in his classes, and he liked that as well. It was a bit weird being back in the classroom after so long but he was studious and “a pleasure to have in class.” He smiles lightly at that, and studies harder, trying to get caught up. It wasn’t that much of a struggle, and he mainly made sure that he was studying often and getting on top of his homework.

He sighs, looking at the date. October 5th. He sighs, before pushing himself through the week. Just a week, no need to reflect back on Evie and what had happened. Well… some reflection, maybe a bit of remembering, but that was it. That is all he would allow and that was it. No talking to anyone, and especially not letting on that he was anything but okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Echo Park Murders and Whitney Frost are the first little peaks of life outside the hospital... (Don't worry, he'll be out soon.) 
> 
> Hiroshima was bombed August 6th and Nagasaki August 9th, but it would take until August 14th for the Japanese to surrender. 
> 
> Education was important and so they ended up with a deal that let the service men take college courses. Am I handwaving this a little? Yep. 
> 
> Comments and kudos are always welcome!


	9. Chapter 9

_"I'll be seeing you in every lovely summer's day, in everything that's light and gay. I'll always think of you that way. I'll find you in the morning sun and when the night is new. I'll be looking at the moon, but I'll be seeing you."_

_~Billy Holiday, I'll Be Seeing You_

* * *

The day started off normally, everyone seeming nicer, and he sighs, getting up and looking out the window. October 11th, 1945. Their 10th anniversary together, if she hadn’t… He let a few tears slip before getting up and checking on himself in the mirror, looking at himself.

He was a mess. That week had been hell on him, and at least Ben, George, David and James didn’t ask.He sighs lightly, brushing his teeth, doing burn care and wrapping the bandages with care around his back and checking his arms for any sign of contracture and infection, before putting his pants on and a shirt, brushing his hair back. He sighs, looking at himself before nodding and leaving.

He wasn’t so much in a talking mood, and Ben and their friends respected that. He eats a bit before nodding. That was good enough, there’s absolutely no need for him to be pressured by today. They nod, and he sighs, taking his plate up and going back to his room, looking at the room. Not where he’d thought he’d be.

He looks at the time. Didn’t have to be at the gym until 9:30, so maybe he could get some reading done before class started. He takes his book down to the library, and settles down, before reading silently, just trying not to focus on Evie for right now. Evie would get her time later, when he was settled down.

He tries to focus, but he really can’t, so he ends up putting his books away, before nodding and sitting outside, to try and just get the thoughts out of his mind, but really, he could see her everywhere. In the courtyard, by the nurse, everywhere. He sighs lightly, cussing himself out before go to PT.

He ends up going light at the gym, just trying not to break down into tears and cry his heart out, but he was let out, and he nods, before dropping his books off and kept moving. He wasn’t going to stop until tonight, and then he’d be able to get out his emotions. Ben wouldn’t mind anyways. He told him it was alright after the last few nights where he couldn’t sleep.

He goes to the lunch room and he nods, looking at everyone. God, today was going to be rough. He sighs, and he picks at his food while Ben was there, and George, David and James came along as well, eating. He was quiet for most of it, not that he minded but… it was a lot. And he didn’t know how to deal with it, and it… it would be fine.

He ends up going to OT and sighs, before hopping on the bus and going to his class. He only had 2 classes, and they ended at 1730, making him get dinner at 1800. He sighs, going to his room and stopping, seeing Charlie, Nick and Clara there, waiting outside his room and he starts sobbing before going to them, knapsack be damned.

They hold him close, and they smile. “Hi,” Clara grins.

“What, how?”

“I just got furlough, decided to come back to LA, met up with Clara, she said she was going to come up, Charlie said he might if he could get it off, and well… it just worked out.”

He nods, smiling. “Let me drop my stuff off, what were you thinking of? Dibble’s mess hall closes in 15 minutes unless I can get a pass…”

“No need,” Clara smiles. “I already asked, and they said it was alright for you to go out for two hours. They want you back in your room at 2000.” She hands him a pass and he nods, going with them to his room and dropping off his bag before changing into his uniform, going to the restroom and nodding. “Ready?”

They nod, and they ended up going to Wilson’s Restaurant as it was close to Dibble. He sighs and they get drinks around and end up getting some food. Charlie raises his glass.

“Miss Clara, not that we don’t love you, but I wish we were celebrating something else tonight, not us three finally being together again after 4 plus years apart. So this is to Evie, the missing fourth. Evie, you may be MIA, but you’re always in our hearts. To Evie.”

“To Evie,” they say softly, and Al has to stop himself from crying again. He drinks his water as the food comes out and Clara nods at Charlie and Nick, and they nod.

“So…” Charlie starts. “We made you something. We don’t know if you’d like it but…”

“It’s something I think you’d be alright having,” Clara nods and brings out a little book, pretty wide, and he nods opening it. He was hit with a picture of Evie when she was younger, must have been in her teens at least, but he recognizes her outfit.

“Is this her first day of school outfit?” He murmurs softly, tears welling up. God she was beautiful. She always had been, of course, but seeing her like this… made him feel like a teen again. He flips over to the next pages and sees her, Mae, and Abigail in their outfits for Homecoming and he smiles, chuckling, wiping away tears. There was more from high school, including graduation, and he smiles before seeing all of it. College, their wedding, looking at their house in Pasadena, when Evie got her pilot’s license, and more, and he smiles before crying more at the pictures.

“I’m sorry, I just…”

They nod and he wipes his tears up before nodding, having the food come out. They end up reminiscing a little, over what could’ve been and what had been before nodding and paying the bill, before having them walk him back to the hospital and talking with him for a little bit, before leaving. Ben had come in a bit later, and they talk for a little, and he shows him the book and they talk about it a little, and he sighs, looking at it. 

He misses her. That was it. He misses her with all the bones in his body, and he aches for her, even now, a year after her death. It wasn’t as bad, as it was, but it still ached, and he sighs, murmuring.

“I miss her…” he sighs, and Ben nods.

“It’s a lot. I understand. Well, ish.”

Al looks at him and Ben hesitates before going. “Do you know what a Dear John letter is?”

Al’s eyes widen. “Aww man. I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine. I… I’m over her now and her parents never approved so… “

He nods. “Her name?”

“Kachina, we met at school. She’s still Native American but… she’s a different tribe than me.”

“Different… “

“I’m Dinè, she’s Hopi.”

He nods softly. “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry too. Evie seemed like a swell gal.”

Al nods and sighs. “She really was.”

Ben smiles, before turning off the light, and Al carefully starts crying silently, before falling asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Owww 
> 
> As you can tell, new posting schedule! This will be posted every other Friday, alternating with California Here I Come.
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	10. Chapter 10

_"Come join the band and give a cheer for Stanford red! Throughout the land, our banner waving overhead. Stanford for you. Each loyal comrade brave and true with might and main sings this refrain. Forever and forever Stanford red." After the game when Stanford red has won the day. Praising her name down to the field we'll force our way, and on the green. Each man who joins the serpentine with might and main sings this refrain "Forever and forever Stanford red."_

_~ Stanford University fight song_

* * *

October quickly turned to November, and he was in the midst of Finals, studying hard for them. His professors weren’t lenient by any means, and he still had a good chance of getting decent grades in all of the classes. He smiles lightly, looking at everything over and sighing. Well… He could pull another all-nighter.

He nods slightly, before getting his books together and heading down to the library before starting to study, focusing. The librarian had other ideas though and ended up shuttling him back to his room and he sighs, getting his books and going. He has to remind himself to not yell at her and go back to his room to work. Oh well, at least he well, was working on something and getting his degree, or at least working on it.

And, the doctors said he could do a furlough soon, and well he was excited for that. There was even talk about getting discharged by New Year’s but of course that would depend on how the furlough went. He nods, and calls Miss Baker as soon as he could to talk it over with her, and she agreed with him on it, before coming up to talk with his doctors. They did say they wanted him to go on a furlough for a bit.

Ben was about to be discharged, next week, and he was ecstatic about, and well… he was happy for him. It wasn’t bad and he liked seeing that he was going out soon, and well.. he was leaving soon as well. Funny how that worked.

Miss Clara ended up taking them both to a restaurant and made them stand for a picture, before Ben ended up packing up and sighing. “This is it…”

He nods softly and hugs him, and Ben hugs him back. “Bye Al,” he whispers.

“Bye Ben, write to me alright?”

“Will do,” he nods, as the lady picked him up and got him on the bus to the train station. Ben had explained to him that he was going from Fremont, across the bay, down to Los Angeles, then from there, to Flagstaff, where his parents or someone would pick him up and end up driving him the rest of the way.

Al however, was doing almost the exact trip but Fremont to Los Angeles. Ben left, and he was moved to a single room, just because well… he was on his own, and they were letting people go for now.

He ended up going on the train back the next week, and Miss Clara got him from the station with Aunt Vi, and he smiles lightly. “Hi…”

“Hello my son,” Miss Clara smiles, and he nods, holding his bag. “Ready?”

He nods and they drop off Aunt Vi before driving home, seeing Charlie cooking dinner, and they hug each other, holding each other close. “Oh Charlie,” he grins.

“How are you?”

“I’m alright, just… happy to be back for a bit.”

He nods and they got to work cooking and plating food. He eats his first homemade meal in a while, and grins before eating more. Miss Clara nodded approvingly, and they sat there for a bit before Charlie ended up leaving that night after dinner.

They went to bed after, and Samberly sighs, looking at the room. They had just decided to make Evie’s old room, his room, and well… he was happy to lay there and sleep in there. He drifted off and smiles slightly, happy to be back.

The week passed by uneventfully, with Charlie and Nick stopping by, and a Thanksgiving that was nice, pie and all. He grins before saying that he was grateful for being here and that they didn’t need to do all this and they stopped him and said that they wanted to.

He went back that Saturday, and smiles lightly, going back to his room. He sighs, looking at everyone, and nodding. “Was a fun week,” he nods and the PT and OT’s grill him on his trip. Honestly he was tired but it was worth it. The doctors nod and grill him again and they nod, “So nothing?”

“Not really, I just was happy to be home.”

They nod. “So how about a discharge date then… how does January 11th sound?”

He grins. “That sounds good.”

The few weeks before Christmas were somewhat of a blur, but he did remember him and Clara going shopping for Nick, Charlie, Ben, George, James and David at the HX or the stores around town.

They wrapped them up and sent them with another letter, saying Merry Christmas and went down to the post office to well… post them. Clara and Charlie came up and ate with him, before helping him out. He smiles lightly at them, and it was easier on him, without Evie… it gave him a well… sense of normalcy almost.

He was still wary of talking about her, but he was alright with that. Everyone seemed okay with it, and he knew he could bring up her when he wanted to, but he really didn’t see the need. It was just she was everything to him, and he couldn’t just… he couldn’t.

But it was looking up, and he smiles, heading back to the hospital with the doctors nodding at him.

The next day, he gets called into a meeting and he sits down.

“So, Lieutenant Samberly, are you ready to be discharged?”

He nods slightly. “What’s this about?”

“Because we got the discharge papers here, and after you sign these, you’ll be a free man.”

He grins. “Where do I sign?”

They help him sign and figure out payment, and he ends up calling George and James to see if they could help him find an apartment close to Stanford. They ended up finding one, and he ran out to go look at it a bit before his classes, then ended up walking to them. He agreed and helped George and James pay the down payment, before nodding. Stanford and Dibble had an agreement to help returning soldiers and so, he was able to sign up fully with his GI Bill to pay for his classes, and ended up getting a job lined up for February.

Overall, it was coming together perfectly.

And just like that, on January 11th, he was discharged. And started at Stanford University as a full-time student January 14th, 1946.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And he's at Stanford and out of the hospital! 
> 
> March to December or about 9 months is about the time frame we are looking at, which seems like a lot, but it's alright. 
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	11. Chapter 11

January faded into March, and he was busier than ever with his job and his studies. He ended up getting a job in the research department of Stanford and studying electrical currents, and he sighs, looking at his work. He liked it, wasn’t bad, and somewhat interesting, but he wasn’t happy just, messing around in a lab all day.

He blamed it on the war. He had seen London, Metz, Luxembourg… Paris… he blinks in and out at Paris, before sighing. There was nothing he could’ve done. Nothing. And even then, he didn’t feel like he could’ve done something, Evie would have shut it down. But he’d seen Europe and now he was itching to get back out there, even if it was just in Los Angeles. Oh well, it’ll do for now.

He sighs, getting home to the room he was sharing with George and David. They were doing their undergrad, and well, neither of them had ever lived on their own before, thanks to well… the war and such. It wasn’t that hard, and they liked it well enough, but there were a couple of things they had to learn, like cooking and such. It wasn’t bad, and it was all in good fun. And Miss Clara called every single weekend at noon. It wasn’t bad, but he could tell something had happened that she couldn’t talk about. It was more that she was well… off and busy.

He still had therapy through the hospital once a week for well. Just talking to a therapist about grief and PT once a week. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t like he didn’t want to talk about it. But it was ordered by his doctors, especially after the little stint on her birthday.

Dooley still kept tabs on him, calling every other week to check on him and his progress, which he really hadn’t minded. It wasn’t bad, and he liked having the accountability that he was going the right way. He wasn’t necessarily being “trained” for the SSR, but just pushed and nudged in the general direction, and in return, Dooley told him about life at the SSR, including about three “idiots in love”, Carter, Sousa and Thompson. They all seemed nice enough, except for well… the fact that maybe all three of them were in some sort of love triangle. It wasn’t bad though. They were hard workers.

He ended up talking a bit about Loretta, and it seemed like it wasn’t clearing up at all, he told him to just sit down with her and just talk it out, but it wasn’t looking like it was happening especially because of the Howard Stark case. He had been keeping a bit of tabs on it, of course, but he was more concerned about how he was doing in his classes. He was doing alright, A’s and B’s… but he was always working to help pay for everything. It was nice to have the GI Bill pay for his classes but it still was hard on him to make ends meet with George and David working full time as well. Oh well… it would do for now. Besides, he had hope on the other side of the tunnel as Dooley said there were whispers about a new office opening up in California. Where he didn’t know, but somewhere. Possibly near San Francisco or Los Angeles.

He nods softly. It made sense, Los Angeles was a big city, but he wouldn’t be surprised if San Francisco was picked because it was somewhat near everything. But he would have to see. It was one of those two or the outskirts anyways.

Spring break arrived quickly and he ended up going back to Los Angeles to grab Amelia and taking her up to San Fran. She was getting somewhat old, about 5 years old, and he wanted to well… have some time with her, even though he knows it won’t be that long. Oh well, she was nice and loves him. George didn’t like Amelia, which is hilarious because Amelia would follow him around hopelessly and just meow loudly at him, and then force him to sit down and watch him while she ate.

It was hilarious, although George didn’t think so. But that was for him to figure out later, and be happy. David likes Amelia well enough, and well… it was nice to see them all. And plus they were good roommates. He can sew and cook, George is the resident handyman, and David can get stains out of almost anything. So overall… life was perfect.

It was May when everything hit though, and that was with well… Dooley. It was May 5th and he… died. Gas explosion, Loretta said. Everyone else in the office was fine, but it was a gas explosion and he sighs, nodding, and ended up offering help, if she needed it with Emmett and Molly.

She doesn’t end up taking it, but once finals were over, he took the train over to see his gravesite. One of the only men he knew that accepted him and helped him through everything. And now he was in the ground and Loretta sighs. “I never got to tell him that it wasn’t consensual…”

“It wasn’t…” his eyes widen. “The plumber?”

She nods. “You heard his side I’m guessing?”

“Just that he caught you and the plumber kissing in the kitchen…”

She nods. “That’s… basically what happened, but the kiss wasn’t consensual, he just threw himself onto me and kept making passes…”

He nods, looking at the gravesite.

“I think I should’ve marched right into the SSR and told him…”

“Don’t worry, he somewhat recruited me so you don’t need to hide what he did from me. “

“Somewhat?”

“I told him I wasn’t moving from California… my wife died during the war, and I can’t leave California. Not yet anyways. So he said he’d put my name down for… something if it came to California.”

She nods. “California’s your home. It’s alright.”

He nods softly. “It is…”

The new semester started a few weeks after, and he sighs, digging down deep and ending up getting straight A’s for the first bit, before having one of his grades slip to a B. It wasn’t like he was mad about it, he was recovering, and speaking of recovering, he was finally out of the hospital for good. They discharged him, and he got his back pay, which meant he was able to pay for things now. Which was good, as now he didn’t have to work as much and could help more.

Her two year anniversary passed and he took the day off and sat around all day. George and David both decided to go out for the day and leave him alone, which was nice. It was on Friday, and he looked at the photo book and cries really hard at it. Amelia ends up sitting on his lap and meowing, almost asking where she is. He pets her and cries, before going to dinner with George and David for dinner and sniffling the entire time.

Miss Clara came up right before Christmas and made them food and helped them decorate. Something was off about her, but he didn’t mind it, he knew this time of the year was hard for her, and well… it would be alright. He ended up getting all A’s and a B, but it was fine by him, honestly.

He sighs, before getting a note in the mail, and opening it.

The SSR division in Los Angeles was starting up.

And he was asked for an interview by one Chief Daniel Sousa.


End file.
